Time running out for Christians in Iraq

posted at 10:01 am on July 25, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

In fact, it might already have run out. The Christians in Mosul have already fled, and those remaining in Nineveh and other areas of Iraq have until Saturday to make their choice to pay jizya, convert, or be put to death. While ISIS conducts an ethno-religious cleansing of Iraq, the ancient Christian communities there wonder when the West will at least speak out:

He and the rest of northern Iraq’s multitude of Christian sects have plenty of reason to worry about the self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate that’s taken hold in much of northern and western Iraq and eastern Syria since Mosul fell to the Islamic State on June 9. The men who lead the caliphate adhere to the most austere and literal interpretation of Islam, one that subscribes to the notion that improperly pious Muslims can be killed and that Christians, Jews and other monotheistic minorities must pay a protection tax or face a similar fate.

“It’s a financial punishment for refusing to become Muslim,” said the rector of St. Georges, Father Ammar, explaining “jizya,” a tax the ancient caliphates levied on non-Muslims. Father Ammar, following local custom, gave only his first name. …

Bitterness abounds. In Qarakosh, where fighters from the Kurdish peshmerga militia maintain a front line just a mile or so from Islamic State positions and regularly come under sniper and mortar fire, one refugee from Mosul said he knew exactly whom to blame for the situation.

“Goddamn George Bush,” Abu Fadi spat out in English as he stood in line in the 100-degree heat to register for aid. “He removed Saddam, and this is all his fault.”

Then, in Arabic, he turned his anger on the current U.S. administration, which is still formulating what, if anything, it will do in response to the rapid advance of the Islamic State.

“Tell Obama I lost my house because of America, and now he’s a coward and won’t come save us from these animals,” he said.

McClatchy reports today that the earlier reports that the US had been taken by surprise by the ISIS sweep through Nineveh was no surprise at all. The Obama administration knew that ISIS had planned its invasion and seizure of western Iraq, but didn’t take any action to prevent it despite the obvious consequences:

In congressional testimony as far back as November, U.S. diplomats and intelligence officials made clear that the United States had been closely tracking the al Qaida spinoff since 2012, when it enlarged its operations from Iraq to civil war-torn Syria, seized an oil-rich province there and signed up thousands of foreign fighters who’d infiltrated Syria through NATO ally Turkey.

The testimony, which received little news media attention at the time, also showed that Obama administration officials were well aware of the group’s declared intention to turn its Syrian sanctuary into a springboard from which it would send men and materiel back into Iraq and unleash waves of suicide bombings there. And they knew that the Iraqi security forces couldn’t handle it.

The group’s operations “are calculated, coordinated and part of a strategic campaign led by its Syria-based leader, Abu Bakr al Baghadi,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Brett McGurk told a House committee on Feb. 5, four months before fighting broke out in Mosul. “The campaign has a stated objective to cause the collapse of the Iraqi state and carve out a zone of governing control in western regions of Iraq and Syria.”

The testimony raises an obvious question: If the Obama administration had such early warning of the Islamic State’s ambitions, why, nearly two months after the fall of Mosul, is it still assessing what steps, if any, to take to halt the advance of Islamist extremists who threaten U.S. allies in the region and have vowed to attack Americans?

That’s one question, but the answers that McClatchy provides shows that it wasn’t just a case of missing a single opportunity. The failure stemmed from a series of decisions in Obama’s foreign policy, including the dismissal of aid to the Maliki government while it tacitly supported Bashar al-Assad in Syria, despite months of requests from Maliki for assistance. Instead of engaging while ISIS could still have been stopped in March 2013, the Obama administration used the danger as a pressure point to force Maliki into political reforms — a genuinely good end, but short-sighted in regard to the danger involved and potential consequences for failure, which have become all too apparent now.

“We made it clear to Maliki and other Iraqi leaders that the fight against terrorists and militias will require a holistic _ security, political, economic _ approach,” McGurk told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 13 in describing talks held with the Iraqi leader during a visit he’d made to Washington a week earlier.

What’s the “holistic” status of Iraq now? The Kurds will likely spin off their own state, while the rump Iraqi state will become a Shi’ite satellite of Iran for its own survival, leaving western Iraq to become the new caliphate, at least until the rest of the region tires of ISIS’ antics. Even then, the other nations in the region seem either uninterested or incapable of besting Baghdadi, which will make Iran bolder when it comes to imposing their hegemony in the Middle East.

All of this is fascinating for historians and Western observers, but for the Christians in the region — spiritual and cultural descendants of some of the oldest Christian communities in the world — it’s a matter of life or death. Sean Hannity interviewed one man who faced that choice and fled to Irbil, and who still holds out hope that the West will intervene in some way to save its own cultural heritage (via Katie Pavlich):

Last night Fox News’ Sean Hannity interviewed Christian Kaldo Oganna, who is living in Iraq.

“Our people are under the threat of killing, ethnic cleansing,” he said. “We are all in fear. The Jihadis are going to attack.”

Oganna begged for condemnation of the violence and begged the United States to stop ISIS before things get worse.

The US has been much more focused on trying to stop Israel from crippling Hamas, for some reason. Maybe they’d prefer that people don’t ask too many questions about how Iraq went from an Obama administration success story in 2011 to a genocidal charnel just three years later.

August 1 is being sponsored by the Priestly Society of St. Peter as a world day of prayer and solidarity for the Christians in the Mideast. Please take note and participate and spread the word. Thank you.

Ed, the West is degenerate, and won’t speak out. But, I imagine that the Church in Iraq will be on the list of the Prayers of the Faithful at many Masses this weekend. I’m afraid that prayers are all they have.

Time ran out for Christians the moment Mo decided to start killing everyone, they’ve only been kept around to pay for things.

Bishop on July 25, 2014 at 10:14 AM

It was actually the muzzies who destroyed the Roman Empire, not the Germanic barbarians. The Eastern Empire fought a roughly 900 year long, ultimately losing war against them from 626 or so to May 29, 1453.

Not only “Where is the US?”but “Where are the Christian churches, Roman and Orthodox?” I agree – the Iraqis had Saddam – they chose to hang him.

Unfortunately for so man, Obama [and by definition, us] own this genocide – the US Army wanted troops to stay there and Obama said “no.” Then again, does he even understand the ramifications of his “decisions” since he’d not been held accountable. Blame and excuse are always used.

That’s what the Christian’s get for doing something so bad 800 years ago…or something.

I can just imagine women groups like NOW and the rest are just thrilled, imagine replacing those evil Christian’s with those loving Muslims and Islamists…Saving babies is much more egregious than mutilating young girls…

The testimony raises an obvious question: If the Obama administration had such early warning of the Islamic State’s ambitions, why, nearly two months after the fall of Mosul, is it still assessing what steps, if any, to take to halt the advance of Islamist extremists who threaten U.S. allies in the region and have vowed to attack Americans?

His intelligence officials may have had it all figured out – but this idiot president was telling The New Yorker magazine that ISIS are a bunch of Kobe Bryant wannabes. I mean, OBL is dead, and Al Qaeda is on the run – right Mr. President? Damn! If only the intelligence official’s testimony had received better news coverage – then you would have known about it – right? Right?!!!

The welfare queens agitator does not give a damn… The entire world will burn and he will not be interested because it takes leadership, courage, intelligence, and hard work to solve problems… This most incompetent fool has none, never had it, and never will… He instead keep campaigning 24/7 against his only enemies the Republicans, read empty speeches, go to fundraisers, play golf, dines late at night with the rich and famous, spend millions on vacations…

While ISIS conducts an ethno-religious cleansing of Iraq, the ancient Christian communities there wonder when the West will at least speak out:

Half of the West is afraid to, having let the Islamists set up shop in their own countries and knowing the consequences if they do say anything.

The other half, specifically those who support the likes of The One, are hoping for a genocide of Christians and Jews in the region, because they are thrilled at the prospect of being able to watch those they hate being massacred without having to get their own hands bloody.

All you’ll ever see from them is clouds of choom smoke as they get high while getting off on the spectacle, like it was the Roman coliseum. Except this time around, they don’t even have to supply the lions to throw the Christians to. The jackals are self-starters.

The US has been much more focused on trying to stop Israel from crippling Hamas, for some reason. Maybe they’d prefer that people don’t ask too many questions about how Iraq went from an Obama administration success story in 2011 to a genocidal charnel just three years later.

Answer; because Iraq is The One’s Vietnam, except that The One sees himself as Ted Kennedy, popping the champagne as the NVA tanks smash down the gates of the U.S. embassy in Saigon.

He wants the Islamists to win, because they will bring the world back to a mystical primitivist paradise that can be run with an iron hand by philosopher-kings like himself. With no technology, no religion except probably Gaia-worship, and a relationship between the “enlightened” rulers and the ruled right out of ancient China.

That is, anyone who fails to bow quickly enough, and deeply enough, when a mandarin is carried by in a palanquin is beheaded on the spot.

The difference being that the mandarins didn’t laugh maniacally as their bodyguards did the chopping. They actually had a bit more self-control than that.

Our “modern” mandarins, like The One, think that’s for wimps. Expect them to grimace insanely, sneer constantly, and scream at you incoherently forever.

They ARE here. They are coming across the southern border. The Border Patrol has collected evidence that muslims are crossing.

My big fear about that is the Ebola epidemic in Africa which HA is not reporting for some reason. Even the doctors and nurses over there are dying and the disease is out of control. People coming here from there may carry that disease here.

Considering how much Obama wants to destroy us he will probably laugh heartily when the first outbreak here happens.

You think Obama cares? The administration hasn’t talked once about Christian persecution throughout the world. Why should this situation be any difference. It is what happens when you put a Muslim into office and expect him to honor other faiths.

Obama has a pen and a phone. He’s used his pen this week to pander to the gays. He’s used the phone to call sluts, the parents of a street thug, and other incidental issues. He’s used the bully pulpit to air his choices for the NCAA basketball finals and a whole host of divisive partisan attacks.

BUT NOT ONCE IN THESE SIX YEARS DO I RECALL OUR MUSLIM PRESIDENT REACHING OUT IN SUPPORT OF CHRISTIANS. Am I wrong?

I guess Fadi would rather be tossed into the chipper-shredder than to lose his house. His choice.

RSbrewer on July 25, 2014 at 10:34 AM

It was his choice and like a true liberal he’s decided that somebody owes him something as a victim. Though it is funny that he blames America and not the ineffectiveness of his own nation’s government.

That cracks me up that he complains about conditions in his own country and then blames America. These people are nothing but little children too stupid to realize they have to make their own country livable by standing up to bullies like Saddam and ISIS. The moron doesn’t even know that there are no shortage of bullies in the ME that will gladly sacrifice his family on the alter of Muhammad.

Obama is a disgrace. He won’t lift a finger to help these refugees, but he will fight tooth and nail to import gangs from South America. Shame on him. This is so sad, I cannot imagine the fear these people are facing. Sometimes I wonder where God is…. Someone must stop this from happening.

how about instead of sending $47 million in “humanitarian aid” (yeah, right) to Hamas, we offer that money to ISIS to buy off the Christians’ jizya?

WaldoTJ on July 25, 2014 at 10:52 AM

How about we detonate a neutron bomb or two over ISIS territory; they have expelled all the Christians so all that’s left are thugs and terrorists. Then we reoccupy the place. Ditto for Gaza. Problems solved.

I intended to tell the guy who lost his house to go screw himself. But his joining of Bush and Obama at the hip to receive blame brought me up short: America/Bush totally destroyed his nation’s governmental structure under Hussein (evil though it was) and promised to replace it, ostensibly with something better; halfway through, Obama walks out on that promise, leaving an impossibly weak government in place that falls almost instantly to a primitive religious barbarism a hundred times worse that the secular government of Hussein. This man has gone from living under a strong but ruthless 20th-century dictatorship to living under a savage delusional 7th-century theocracy; he has been left in this terrible predicament because of the transitory and faithless quality of American foreign policy.

Even then, the other nations in the region seem either uninterested or incapable of besting Baghdadi, which will make Iran bolder when it comes to imposing their hegemony in the Middle East.

Yes let’s worry about Iran’s plan for hegemony in the ME and ignore Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s plan. The Saudis are such nice people and their version of sharia law is sooooooo much more wonderful’s than Iran’s. Who wouldn’t want saudi hegemony in the Middle East?

When Iran was helping Hamas they were so uncooperative, now that Hamas leadership is sitting pretty in Qatar and getting their funds from there can’t we all see how much tamer and reasonable they have become.

The people helping IS create havoc in the ME by giving them weapons and money are from Saudi Arabia, But I am sure they really meant Iran. We all know every country in the ME are nice, countries minding their own business and Iran is really the only country up to no good.

Poor Iran to think their life could have been so simple and wonderful if only they let the shah stay, and let BP keep f$&cking them in the a$$.

Its true that Obama is not a Christian, he goes to church like once a year I think. He has Never spoke out against the Christians getting slaughtered in Nigeria, Syria, Iraq or Iran. He can speak out on women not getting their free birth control or economic equality but the bastard is so full of himself that he can’t even condemn these atrocities performed by the muzzies. I also wonder why the Christian leaders in the West don’t condemn it as well?

You are right Listentoglen,,,,,, ever notice how many times the bastard mentions the “World Community” on what they think or should do before he acts. The only time he doesn’t resort to the world community is when he is blasting the GOP or the TEA Party. This man is EVIL.

Ward Cleaver I wish someone in the media would ask these questions. I would love personally if I could ask him. I would love to see the expression on his face on how he could answer without embarrassing himself.

A kenyan muslim carrying about Christians in Iraq????
You must be joking.

Bubba Redneck on July 25, 2014 at 11:01 AM

Yeah, sorta goes with “A kenyan muslim caring about a Christian Sudanese woman married to a US citizen facing death because of her faith, or a hater of our military and its personnel caring about a US Marine locked up in a Mexican jail? You must be joking.”